Production and characterization of guinea pig il-5 in baculovirus -infected insect cells. Mansour, Mahmoud, Michael Karmilowicz, Steven J. Hawrylik, Barbara Nalcerio, Jane Angilly, Maryrose J. Conklyn, Craig M. Lilly, Jeffery M. Drazen, S. E. Lee, David D. Auperin, Jeffrey R. Dewet, Victoria L. Cohan, Henry J. Showell, and Dennis E. Danley. Departments of Molecular Sciences and Immunology and Infectious Disease, Pfizer Central Research Division, Groton, CT 06340 and Department of Medicine, Brigham and Womens Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
APStracts 3:0021L, 1996.
To study the role IL-5 may play in altering airway function in asthma, we have produced recombinant protein for exogenous administration to guinea pigs. The guinea pig IL-5 (gpIL-5) cDNA was cloned by PCR amplification of guinea pig spleen RNA and expressed as a secretion product from recombinant baculovirus-infected Sf9 insect cell cultures. The protein was purified to homogeneity by a four step procedure which included immunoaffinity chromatography using polyclonal antipeptide antibodies against a region of the mature secreted cytokine. The cytokine was properly processed after the signal sequence by the Sf9 cells, was glycosylated with terminal mannose-containing oligosaccharide and had proper disulfide-linked dimer structure as determined by SDS-PAGE. The purified preparation was active in vitro and in vivo as determined by its ability to prime human basophils to release leukotrine (LT)C4 in the presence of C5a and to induce airway eosinophilia in naive guinea pigs.

Received 19 June 1995; accepted in final form 15 January 1996.
APS Manuscript Number L191-5.
Article publication pending Am. J. Physiol. (Lung Cell. Mol.
Physiology).
ISSN 1080-4757 Copyright 1996 The American Physiological Society.
Published in APStracts on 8 February 96